HIPAA establishes protections for personal health information. It covers health care providers, health plans, and health care clearinghouses. Protected health information includes a patient's medical files, conversations between patients and doctors, and billing information. HIPAA requires administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information. Violations of HIPAA can result in fines ranging from $100 to $50,000 depending on the nature of the violation and whether it was corrected.

1. HIPAACreating Confidentiality in the workplace.

2. Things to KnowWhat is HIPAA?Who is covered under HIPAA?What information is covered under HIPAA?What does HIPAA security imply?What are the disciplinary actions for violating HIPAA rules and regulations?

3. What is HIPAAThe HIPAA Privacy Rule provides federal protections for personal health information of covered entities.

4. Who is covered under HIPAACovered entities under HIPAA are the following:A Health Care Provider (i.e. doctors and clinics)A Health Plan (i.e. HMOs and company health plans).A Health Care Clearinghouse (individuals processing non standard health information).

5. What information is coveredHIPAA permits the disclosure of personal health information needed for patient care and other important purposes. Information put into a patient’s medical files.Conversations between patients and their doctors.Billing informationInformation in a person’s health insurer’s computer system.

6. Security of HIPAA“The Security Rule specifies a series of administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for covered entities to use to assure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronic protected health information” (hhs.gov, 2011, pg. 1).

7. Violations and PenaltiesIf individuals didn’t know they violated HIPAA they would be fined a minimum violation of $100 per violation and a maximum violation of $50,000 per violation.If an individual violates HIPAA due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect then they would be fined a minimum violation of $1000 per violation and a maximum violation of $50,000 per violation.

8. Violation and Penalties cont’dIf an individual violates HIPAA due to willful neglect but corrects the violation before allotted time frame they will be fined a minimum violation of $10,000 per violation and a maximum violation of $50,000 per violation.If an individual violates HIPAA due to willful neglect and the violation is not corrected then the minimum fine would be $50,000 per violation and a maximum fine of $50,000 per violation.

9. ReferencesHIPAA (2011). What is HIPAA. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/privacy/hipaa/understanding/index.html.HIPAA (2011). HIPAA Violation and Enforcement. Retrieved from http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/physician-resources/solutions-managing-your-practice/coding-billing-insurance/hipaahealth-insurance-portability-accountability-act/hipaa-violations-enforcement.page.